Friday, October 12, 2007

What Was I Doing?

I was tagged by Debbie, so here it goes...

What was I doing 10 years ago? I was a senior in high school and worked the night shift waiting tables at Village Inn. My school schedule consisted of only the classes that I choose which were: AP English, Art History, Seminary, Swim Team, and three periods of Art/Sculpture. I loved it! I was trying to decide where I wanted to go to school and imagining what the future would hold. I wanted to become a art historian or a curator of a museum. I was looking forward to my first trip overseas. I was going to Italy with my Art History class right after graduation.

What was I doing 5 years ago? I was in a suburb outside Santiago, Chile. It was the last area I served in during my year and a half mission for the LDS church. My companion was Hermana Guerrero from southern Chile. We were up early every morning, worked hard all day, and crashed at night - in fact - it was the only time of my life that I slept soundly every night. We lived directly above a bakery - it always smelled SO good. Each morning as we left the apartment we would buy 100 pesos of fresh cookies. Delicious! I am going back to visit Chile in two weeks, and you can be sure I will make a stop at the little bakery to get some more cookies!

What was I doing 1 year ago? I was in labor with my daughter Antalya. We left for the hospital at about 10:30pm. We made a stop at Blockbuster to pick up Seven Years in Tibet, and The Notebook (two of my favorite movies to help the time pass), then stopped at Sconecutter to get a snack for the hour drive to the hospital. I was finally admitted at about 2:30am. Jason and I tried to get as much sleep as we could that night. The next morning my doctor arrived; my contractions were slowing down. My doctor didn't want to send me home since we lived so far away, so they started me on pitocin about 8:00am. Then we just waited. Jason went to get some breakfast. He was nice and brought me back some too. I ate it as quickly as I could so the nurses wouldn't catch me:) We watched a movie, met with a social worker (because of the complications with Antalya and her diagnosis of Down syndrome), signed release forms from the NICU (that was the scariest part - going over all the possible things that could go wrong with Antalya, and what would have to be done to her), and then just waited. Around 1:00pm Jason left to go get some lunch. While he was gone, my water broke, and then labor REALLY began! Some how I made it through it - Jason by my side and a wonderful nurse that kept reminding me to breathe through the contractions and then let it go. Antalya was born at 7:32pm. She weighed 5lbs 13oz and was 19" long. Jason and I fell in love immediately with her. We named her Antalya because it means "heaven on earth."

What was I doing yesterday? Woke up, fed and bathed myself and Antalya. Went to IKEA to buy Antalya a high chair. Made it back just in time for her physical therapy appointment. Had lunch. Put Antalya down for a nap. A fellow Ds mom stopped by with her cute little Riley. Woke Antalya up after 2 hours so she could play with Riley before she had to go home. Fixed dinner. Read stories. Put Antalya to bed. Visited with some other friends that stopped by with their cute new baby Graham. Watched TV with Jason. Went to bed exhausted!

Five places I would rather beIn bed asleep cuddling with Jason and AntalyaReading a book in a huge jetted tubIn Turkey with my friend ChristineIn IsraelIn New York with my friends Sher and Manders

Five treats I loveRice, Rice, Rice!Ice creamJason's delicious lentil curryApple JacksSaltado de pollo from a local Peruvian restaurant

Five favorite TV showsThe OfficeCSIThe Daily Show with John Stewart24Stephen Colbert Report

What would I do with a million dollars?Give away a portion of it and then invest whatever was left.

My most memorable things right nowCuddling with Antalya in the early morning, watching Jason play with Antalya and making her laugh, early morning walks/talks before the sun rises with my friends Sonja and Daniela, fixing a delicious dinner, watching Antalya learn a new thing.